Tunisia: Journalist Mohamed Yousfi detained amid press freedom concerns

Journalist Mohamed Yousfi, editor-in-chief of the news site Al Katiba, has been issued a detention warrant following his arrest in Tunisia. Yousfi was apprehended on September 4 while heading to Express FM radio to participate in a program regarding water policy. Reports indicate he was interrogated despite having recently undergone urgent surgery.

Human rights organizations, including EuroMed Rights and the Federation of Asia Pacific Journalists (FAPAJ), have called for his immediate release. Defense lawyers claim the case against him lacks any supporting evidence or documentation.

Yousfi’s arrest is part of a broader trend of targeting independent media in Tunisia. He joins other journalists, such as Mourad Zeghidi, Borhen Bsaïes, and Zied El Heni, who have faced detention or imprisonment. Observers note an increasing crackdown on civil society and independent voices under the administration of President Kais Saied.